Today is a good day to be a “Star Wars” world. Not only did we hear a rumor of Vader showing up in “Rogue One,” but now the official “Star Wars” site is announcing that “21 Jump Street” and “LEGO Movie” directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller are setting their sights on the long-rumored Han Solo spinoff film. 

Lord and Miller had the following to say about the announcement:

“This is the first film we’ve worked on that seems like a good idea to begin with. We promise to take risks, to give the audience a fresh experience, and we pledge ourselves to be faithful stewards of these characters who mean so much to us. This is a dream come true for us. And not the kind of dream where you’re late for work and all your clothes are made of pudding, but the kind of dream where you get to make a film with some of the greatest characters ever, in a film franchise you’ve loved since before you can remember having dreams at all.”

The script for the film has apparently already been written by writers Lawrence Kasdan (“The Empire Strikes Back,” “The Force Awakens”) and Jon Kasdan (“The First Time,” “Freaks and Geeks”), and it “focuses on how young Han Solo becomes the smuggler, thief, and scoundrel whom Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi first encountered in the cantina in Mos Eisley.”

“’We’re so excited to be working with Chris and Phil, who will bring a fresh new dimension to the ‘Star Wars’ universe,’ said the Kasdans. ‘They’re two of the smartest, funniest, and most original filmmakers around, and the ideal choice to tell the story of Han Solo, one of the coolest characters in the galaxy.’”

Finally, Kathleen Kennedy, who is producing the film, got a word in on this news:

“It’s not just any filmmaker who can tell the story of such a beloved icon like Han Solo, and I’m excited to say we’ve found the perfect team to handle the task. Larry and Jon know all there is to know about the character, and Chris and Phil will bring their wit, style, energy and heart to tell Han’s story.”

This was bound to happen, sooner or later. Han Solo is too popular, and his past too prime to pull from, to avoid. Like Boba Fett, he’s a character fans have wanted to see more of for decades. If this rumor rings true, we’ll actually get that chance. 

Normally, I’d be worried. Since we’ve already seen what Han looks like as a young’un, anyone else taking up the role would only be a pale imitation of Harrison Ford. But Lord and Miller have proven themselves time and againto have a stellar sense of story, so I can only wish them all the best in this incredibly difficult endeavor. They’ve done the impossible before with “The LEGO Movie,” and they can do it again with this Han Solo film.

What’s not clear if this “Star Wars Anthology” film is the same one Josh Trank left earlier this year. That one was slated for a 2018 release, and so is this one, so one would think it’d be the same. However, Trank’s project was rumored to be a Boba Fett story, but rumors have been wrong before. We may never know if this was the same project or if Trank’s got pushed back due to lack of interest from directors.

This Han Solo vehicle will hit theaters on May 25, 2018.

I for one am torn. All this news sounds promising, but one of the appeals of the “Anthology” series for me was that it was a way to tell stories unrelated to the main plot. The way things are turning out, it almost feels like they’re going out of their way to make sure there are threads connecting everything. Where’s my “Seven Samurai”-with-Jedi flick I’ve wanted for so long? How long until we get truly standalone pictures?

What do you think of all this news? Let us know down below!

Sources: Star Wars